Ahead of India's practise game against Cricket Australia XI, Indian pacer Ishant Sharma has expressed confidence on India's chances in the upcoming series against Australia.

Ishant Sharma is confident of India's chances in the upcoming Test series against Australia &nbsp | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspAP

Virat Kohli-led team India is gearing up for their biggest challenge on the ongoing tour of Australia with the Test series lined-up next. The two shared the spoils at the end of an entertaining T20I series which ended in a 1-1 draw but India's real test lies ahead as the visitors prepare for the stern red ball contest. Ahead of the practise game against Cricket Australia XI which starts on Tuesday (November 28), pace spearhead Ishant Sharma has reckoned that the team is completely focused on winning the series.

Ishant is one of the few members in the current Test setup to have previously played a Test series in Australia. He also remains the most experienced campaigner in the side on the current tour. India have never managed a Test series triumph in Australia and Ishant believes the team is raring to set that record straight by winning the upcoming 4-match series which begins from December 6.

"The biggest thing right now is to win the series and that's what everybody is focusing on right now," Ishant was quoted as saying by Criucbuzz. "We are not even thinking about personal performances. Just one aim that is to win a series in Australia," he added.

Experts and former players have labelled this series as India's best chance to thump Australia in their own backyard as the hosts will be without their two star batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner. Both Warner and Smith are currently serving a 1-year ban imposed on them for their involvement in the ball tampering. An appeal to reduce their ban was turned down by Cricket Australia last week.

While Australia will be missing their two best batsmen against a strong Indian bowling line-up, Ishant is wary of the threat that the hosts can possess sans Warner and Smith. The 30-year-old said India will not take anything lightly while adjudging that Australia is still a strong unit.

"Whoever is representing their country, they are good enough and that's why they're representing the country. We don't take anything lightly," Ishant said talking about the absence of Smith and Warner in the upcoming Test series.

India will get a perfect opportunity to get acclimatised to the conditions in Australia by playing the 4-day Test match which is likely to feature a full-strength Indian team. The likes of Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Murali Vijay and Hanuma Vihari and Ishant, who were not the part of the ODI squad, will look to warm-up in style ahead of the Test series.

India vs Australia: India focused on winning the upcoming Test series, says Ishant Sharma Description:Ahead of India's practise game against Cricket Australia XI, Indian pacer Ishant Sharma has expressed confidence on India's chances in the upcoming series against Australia. Times Now